ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bank — for money
  12. mate — to breed
  13. capital — money
  14. band — a music group
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bank — of a river
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. capital — a city
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. band — a ring
  24. ball — a dance

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com